It had been too long since Bowen and Artorias had taken a little trip out of Hallowed lands. It was about time to rectify that. However, rather than just the two of them, Bowen decided to invite Briar as well. She didn't mind the antlered woman one bit. In fact, she rather liked her. It would be nice to get Briar out of the castle and give the pair of parents a break, and man... did Bowen have ab enjoyable time in mind.

She'd been here before but wasn't sure if Art and Briar had been here. It was a pretty place, the cavern, and it would be nice to see it again. With Mercury and the older kids holding down the fort, it was easy to convince the pair to come along with her. Because he was the big, tough man, Bowen had a set of packs draped over Arts back. It wasn't terribly heavy, but she asked him to carry it anyway.

The trio conversed lightly while they traveled to their destination. The weather was decent enough for traveling, thankfully. No rain would hamper their progress and they made pretty good time. The russet and cream fae wiggled her brows as they neared the entrance of the cave. "Last chance to turn back," she chuckled before ducking out of the daylight and into the darkness of the cavern. A winding path through the dark led the trio downward and, around a corner and up ahead, a bluish glow could be seen. Entering the cavern, the three wolves were bathed in that glow as a plethora of mushrooms clung to the rocky surfaces. The glow pulsed in a gentle, comfortable way, it's rhythmic shifting being rather hypnotic.

Bowen rustled around in one of the packs and drew out a bottle and a little packet of something. The fae poured the earthy smelling powder into the bottle, which was just water, and gave it a shake to mix and dissolve the powder into it. In the meantime, she asked Art to set up the furs that she'd put in the pack. The moss beneath would provide some cushion, but with the furs, oiled on one side, they wouldn't end up damp. Hopefully, anyway.

"Bottoms up." The small lady lifted the bottle to her lips and took a hearty slug. Her pink nose wrinkled a bit and, once she swallowed, she stuck her tongue out. "Blech," she spoke aloud. "It doesn't taste great, but it'll do the job." Bowen was small, so she didn't drink too much. After handing the bottle to Art and Briar, Bowen nestled down onto one of the furs on her back, staring up at the glowy fungus. All they had to do now was wait and relax. With their companions on guard outside, there was nothing to worry about. ...Mostly.
"Bowen"

Bowen Arrow Carpathius

With the never ending duties to attend to around the pack and their numerous children her and Artorias were constantly busy. She never wanted to complain since she was truly living her dream, but sometimes even someone as hard working and dedicated to their family as she was needed a break. That's why when Bowen approached her and Artorias with the suggestion that they take a short trip together to relax it didn't take much to convince her. She was still a little surprised when Bowen wanted to include her in things that involved her and Artorias, but she was always grateful and pleased when she did. Her feelings toward her sister-in-law had changed and evolved so much over the last couple of years and she had grown quite fond of her. There were still times where it was hard for her to share Artorias with her, but she knew that was just the Fatalis in her and there was no reason for her to feel that jealousy.

As they approached the cavern that had been their destination, she grinned a bit to Bowen's warning that it was their last chance to turn back. She didn't know fully what Bowen had planned, but given the fact that Bowen had planned this all out and had even packed some supplies and goodies for them so she knew it was going to be a good time regardless. "No backing out now!" she agreed as she followed Bowen into the shade of the cavern, causing her to blink as she adjusted to the change in light. Bowen led the way, bringing them deeper into the cave that curved and bent further into the earth. Eventually a blue glow up ahead of them pulled her attention and she peeked over top of Bowen's head as they moved into the cavern, revealing the glowing mushrooms that filled the space and covered everything in a soft, mysterious glow. "Wow..." she breathed with amazement, looking around the cavern as she moved toward the center to take it all in.

It was the rustling of Bowen digging through one of the packs that pulled her attention back toward her and Artorias. She watched as Bowen pulled out a bottle and a small packet of something, making her head tip curiously as she watched Bowen combine the two with a shake while Artorias laid out the furs that they had brought so that they would have somewhere to lay. Watching Bowen drink whatever the mixture was didn't exactly inspire confidence, but she didn't turn away the drink when it was offered to her. With a glance toward Art she lifted it to her lips to take a long drink of the mixture, her nose immediately scrunching at the bitter taste. "Ugh, you weren't kidding," she muttered with a little shake of her head. She didn't know what exactly Bowen had selected for them and she hadn't partaken in anything stronger than alcohol since their wedding night, but she trusted Bowen to pick something good for them. She passed the bottle to Art before she went to join Bowen on the furs, rolling onto her back beside her with a contented sigh. Honestly, she was just happy to have a moment to relax.

"Briar Carpathius"

Being the responsible adult that he was, Artorias was always keeping himself busy making sure all aspects of pack life were tended to within the Hallows. Between his duties as alpha and his role and responsibilities as a father, that left the brute with scarce little time for himself. And as the responsible adult that he was, whenever he got the chance to blow off some of that work to relax and get high he was absolutely jumping on that opportunity! So when Bowen came to invite him and Briar out on a little excursion to a nearby cave to enjoy cutting loose for a while, the only question on Artorias' mind was how soon could they go. The arrangements were made, guards alerted to their departure and given orders to remain vigilant. The Hallows wouldn't burn down in one afternoon anyway.

He had collected Briar and met up with Bowen just outside the castle walls, and together the trio made their way up to central Boreas to a cave Bowen had insisted they needed to check out. With the packs of supplies across his back, the wolves made short work of the journey, and they soon arrived at the mouth of the conspicuous cave. Bowen playfully challenged them with one last opportunity to back out, but the veteran explorer he was refused with a cocky grin of his own. "Not a chance!" he quipped back and followed in right after her and Briar, bringing up the rear while the two faes led the way down into the dark cavern. Eventually the light of day faded away, and down the winding underground path an ethereal blue glow could be seen. Following it let the three Carpathians into a massive underground chamber teeming with bioluminescent mushrooms, filling the enormous cavern with blue and purple glow.

Artorias gawked in awe at the subterranean beauty for a while, treading carefully around the clusters of mushrooms while they searched around for a spot to set up for their trip. "Whoa... this place is insane!" No matter how old he got, Artorias never lost that spark of wanderlust that had made him such an adventurer from birth. Bowen began to rifle through the packs and Art ducked down so she could more easily reach them, sliding them off once she instructed him to set up their little lounge of plush waterproof furs. The dire brute found a flat slab of stone free of mushrooms that fit the bill and began to spread out the furs for them to lie on while Bowen prepared... something in a bottle. Whatever it was, Bowen drank it down heartily with a cheers, then handed the bottle to Briar, who also took a long drink.

Both women grimaced at the taste, so when the bottle ended up in his paws, it was up to Art to be the macho one. Determined not to be dissuaded by their reactions, Art took the longest drink of all—and then promptly began to cough and sputter as he forced the concoction down. Gods damn, that tasted terrible! "Fucking hell... What is this stuff, Bo?" Art asked while settling down on the third fur, putting the half-empty bottle of drugged water on the ground between them while he wiggled his way down onto his back, forepaws curling up to his chest while he gazed up at the glowing mushrooms overhead, waiting for the drugs Bowen had picked for them to kick in.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

The faces that Briar and Art made were well worth the lack of...seasoning. Bo knew that Kava tasted horrible. She could have mixed it with some fruit juice or something else tasty, but why ruin the experience? That nasty taste was part of the process. An initiation, of sorts. You had to want the high to willingly abuse your palate in such a manner.

Kava was fast acting and, by the time Art and Briar joined her on the furs, Bowen was already feeling floaty and fuzzy. Her brother had asked what the stuff was and the caramel fae giggled softly. "Kava. Tej introduced me to it during our travels. It helped me get out of my own head and sort myself out." Bowen gave a wistful little sigh. She missed her friend and hoped that he was living his big kitty life to the fullest.

Turning her head to the side, Bo looked at Briar, blinking a few times to get the woman into focus. "How are you feeling, Briar?" They were all so close that, in turning to look at the larger fae, Bowen had leaned into her. Oh... Briar was soft. Extra soft. Like a tan and teal cloud. The russet and snow woman leaned into her sister-in-law, fitting her body against Briar's side. "When did you get so soft?" Hearing her voice hiss softly through the cavern, it was as though she wasn't the one speaking. A little snrrt sounded in Bo's throat as her emerald eyes widened, then squeezed shut. She was on the verge of a giggle fit. To try and distract herself and keep from crumbling into laughter, Bo reached behind her and grabbed Art's paw, pulling his foreleg over herself to place it on Briar. "Why she soft though?"

"Bowen"

Bowen Arrow Carpathius

Briar smirked a little as Art suffered through the same bitter taste that she had, chuckling as he sputtered and struggled through the long gulp he had taken. What the stuff was would have been a very good question to ask, but she had been content to simply trust what Bowen had selected regardless of what it was. Luckily Art asked for the both of them and Bowen revealed it was Kava they were taking. Even though she wasn't nearly as seasoned as Bowen or even Art was with these things that was a type of plant that she had heard of before so at least it wasn't a complete mystery. Very quickly the tingling, fuzzy feeling started to spread from her core out through her limbs as she laid on her back next to Bowen. By the time that Bowen turned and leaned over toward her to ask how she was feeling she was having to blink to keep her gaze focused on the ceiling of the glow-filled cavern, a little smile continuously lingering on her muzzle.

She giggled softly as she began to turn her head toward Bowen as well, replying, "I'm feeling goo-" Her response cut off as Bowen suddenly tucked into her side, catching her off guard and pulling a little gasp from her–not because it was unpleasant, but because the floating, fuzzy feeling that the kava gave her made Bowen's touch unexpectedly sensitive, but in a way that was difficult to describe. A fit of giggles threatened to take her over as well as Bowen commented on the softness of her coat, the little snort of almost laughter from her sister-in-law incredibly contagious and difficult to resist. "I um... I guess the conditioners I use work," she managed eventually between her own little bouts of giggles.

It was hard to figure out if she wanted to giggle or hum with delight from the way Bowen was enjoying the softness of her fur and eventually pulling Artorias's paw over to do the same so she ended up somewhere in-between, caught in a fit of giggles that were occasionally broken up by little sounds of delight. Without really realizing it she had shifted to face Bowen and Artorias, her own foreleg slipping over Bowen so her own paw could rest on Artorias' side, sandwiching Bowen between them. "You're just as soft," she insisted, humming as she pressed a little closer to her sister-in-law, her turquoise gaze a bit unfocused and heavy lidded while a grin lingered on her lips. "I think I like kava."

"Briar Carpathius"

Bowen giggled before answering his question, piquing Artorias' interest and also mildly concerning him as well. He had no fear of his sister giving him and his wife something dangerous, but memories of suddenly being stoned out of his mind as a yearling came rushing back. Was he about to go on another bad trip as a prank? Turns out, the answer was a lot more benign. Bowen had given them a kava mixture, a herb Art had never experimented with before as far as he knew (though he still didn't know what was in Sparrow's personal blend of herbs she'd given him), and one that Tej had shared with her during their travels. Artorias had all but forgotten the tiger, but now he raised a brow in silent curiosity. What the hell had that tiger been doing with his sister out in the wild lands?

Art wasn't given long to mull over that thought however, as only a few moments later, the kava began to kick in full effect. His vision began to blur faintly around the edges, swirls of the bioluminescent mushrooms around them dancing like neon lights all around. A warm sensation of euphoria began to grow deep within the brute's belly, spreading out slowly through his veins to each of his limbs, leaving tingling feelings dancing across his skin as it spread. His sense of touch began to feel heightened, as if he could feel the air moving around him, feel every fiber of fur on the blankets beneath them as he moved and shifted in place. Oh, this was lovely... Artorias stared up at the glowing mushrooms with his mouth slightly ajar, gazing wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the pretty lights all around them. Ooooooh, pretty...!

The soft sound of girly giggles at his side brought Art's attention back to the ladies, and the sight he saw twisted his lips up into a silly grin as he tried to stifle a few chuckles as well. Bowen was nuzzled up into Briar's side, rubbing her fur and commenting on how soft she was. Briar meanwhile looked caught between being overstimulated by the touching and also on the verge of her own giggle fit while she explained that all her grooming and conditioners kept her soft. Bo reached back and took his paw, and then Art was feeling the familiar softness of his mate's fur between his digits as he stroked over her side, letting his paw glide slowly over her warm skin from her chest down to her shapely hip and back up again. "Oh, they work all right!" remarked Artorias with a sly grin, reveling in the little feminine sounds of delight they were pulling from Briar. Bo asked why Briar was so soft and Art just flashed his smaller sister a toothy grin. "Looooots of grooming. She's always so soft. 'specially when you're all pressed up to her." The naughty gleam in Art's amber eyes left little to the imagination of what he was thinking about, the kava making the sensations and fantasies all the more potent in his brain and removing the filter from his mouth.

Briar commented on liking the kava while rolling towards them and smushing Bowen in between them. That first touch of Briar's paw on his side felt like fireworks exploding across his skin, coaxing a breathy gasp from the dire brute. Yeah, he was liking the kava too. Sliding himself closer to press up on Bowen's backside closer until he felt her coat mingling with the fur on his underbelly, Art gave a husky chuckle under his breath and met Briar's heavy-lidded eyes with his own sultry gaze. "Yeeeeah, I'm definitely asking Gwyn to start growing some when we get home." His large paw slid down to rest on Briar's hip, giving it a gentle squeeze while they pinned Bowen in between the two of them. His other paw lifted to press against Bowen's back, slowly trailing his claws down through her fur to gingerly glide across her skin from between her shoulder blades to just above her waist, though the temptation to keep going lower was ever present. "How're you feelin', Bo?" Art asked, glancing down at the caramel-colored fae in between them, his speech gradually becoming more relaxed as well as his body the more the kava took hold of him.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"